ALERT: New Hope for Junk Food Addicts

ALERT: New Hope for Junk Food Addicts

I’m not a junk food addict, but there is something to be said for the delicious hydrogenated oiliness of Doritos and Fritos and that certain je ne sais quoi about crunchy, traffic-cone-orange treats. In recent years, however, we have learned of the health horrors of such childhood snacks. I myself had a painful break-up with Frito-Lay and its corn syrup constituents, writing junk food off forever as a mere vestige of my youthful days of Snack Packs and Lunchables.

There is new hope, however, thanks to Snikiddy co-founders Mary Schulman and Janet Owings, who started a line of surprisingly “healthy” junk food alternatives in 2009 like Cheese Puffs and Fries. While this is not exactly the marketing angle they’re going for (they say it’s “Simple, wholesome, real.” Ha!), the snacks are delightfully reminiscent of Cheesey Puffs and Cheetos except with a fraction of the calories and chemicals. Instead, they’re made with — directly from the website www.snikiddy.com — “no corn syrup, gluten and wheat free, no hydrogenated oils, no trans fat, no preservatives, and low in saturated fat.”

I stumbled upon Snikiddy goods while at Whole Foods, who are kind enough to offer daily sampling bonanzas to shoppers. I tried the Fries, which are made in Original, Cheddar Cheese, Parmesan and Garlic, and Ketchup flavors. Snikiddy Fries, much like the Puffs and pretty much any other natural or unnatural junk food, satisfy that all-too-American need for artificial nourishment. They have a flaky, crispy texture and a scrumptiously salty aftertaste. The Puffs are my personal fave, though, at only 120 calories (40 cals from fat) for one quarter of a bag. Puffs flavors are also delightful — they make me feel like a kid again: Mac n’ Cheese, Grilled Cheese, Nacho Cheese, and Pizza. In addition, if you look at a junky Cheesey Puff versus a Snikiddy Grilled Cheese Puff, you can’t tell the difference. Their tastes are equally similar.

So, if you or your kids crave the yummy but pseudo-toxicity of addictive junk food snacks, be not ashamed. Instead, indulge in Snikiddy’s offerings and enjoy the same oral contentment sans fear of suffering chemical radiation or cancer.